A New Beginning
by Lapin de la Flouve
Summary: -GS- Post-ep for Bloodlines. My take on what happens next. Chapter Three up! COMPLETED!
1. Default Chapter

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Title: A New Beginning

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Author: Lapin de la Flouve (or TynieGSRfan)

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Rating: PG-13

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Spoilers: Bloodlines

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Pairing: G/S (naturally)

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Disclaimer: I do not in any way own CSI or any of the peoples in this story

"Come on, I'll take you home." Grissom said giving her hand a little squeeze.

Sara shook her head, ignoring the feeling of Grissom's hand holding her own."No thanks, I'll find my own way home."

"Sara, I'm going to take you home." He stood up, expecting her to follow but she wasn't giving up that easy, at least not yet.

"Griss I'm fine, I'm a big girl I can take care of myself."

Sitting back down he leaned close to her. He could smell the alcohol on her breath.

"You just blew a point oh nine Sara that is not all right. You couldn't make it home on your own once what makes you think you'll make it home this time." He reached out, took her by the elbow, and pulled her up. Knowing she had lost, Sara allowed Grissom to lead her out to his Yukon and help her into the passenger seat.

They drove in silence the short distance to Sara's apartment building. Grissom kept stealing glances over in his passenger's direction, -_Why are you doing this_- he wondered -W_hat would make you want to do this to yourself_- He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his beard knowing that he would never know the answers to his questions if he didn't ask them.

Sara was numb, the alcohol that flowed through her system was doing its job. She sat staring straight ahead as the drove though downtown Las Vegas. Not necessarily looking at anything, just staring. -_This city sure is ugly in the day time_- She thought, -_I should go some where, maybe I'll use some of that vacation time I've stacked up and go someplace where it's pretty all the time. Maybe I wont come back_-

Finally, they pulled up to her apartment. Getting out Grissom walked over to open the door for Sara, who continued to sit unblinking. "Come on, let's get you inside." He said guiding her towards her front door.

Sara fumbled with her keys a minute before getting the door open. Walking into the house she made a beeline for the living room, Grissom followed her inside and shut the door behind him.

After a seconds hesitation, he too walked in to the living room. He found he sitting on the couch with her eyes closed; her stocking cap and coat were in a pile on the floor. He bent down and picked them up.

"What are you doing?" Sara asked.

"I'm picking up your things so you don't trip over them later." came his reply.

"No," she said opening her eyes, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because I wanted to make sure you got home in one piece."

"Well. I'm home now you can leave."

He sat down next to her, "Sara, how many drinks did you have?" He asked.

"It's none of your business." She retorted.

He took a deep breath, "Listen Sara, as your supervisor,"

She glared over at him, "As my supervisor you shouldn't even be here."

"Fine then, as a friend."

She threw her hands down on the couch, "Grissom stop, I know I screwed up. And I'm sorry if I blacked the reputation of the lab but,"

This time Grissom cut her off. He jumped to his feet, "God Damnit Sara, you think I'm worried about the lab. If anything would have happened to you tonight I would have,"

She stood up and looked him in the eye, "What? You would have what? Wallowed in self pity because you couldn't take the risk!"

The look of surprise at her words that passed over his features pushed her on. "I was there, Grissom. I heard every word you said to that doctor. I heard you tell him that once in your life a beautiful girl walks into you life and as much as you want to, you can't do anything about it, because the risk is too high."

She was having a hard time holding back the tears that threatened to come. "I know that you can't, no wont, take a chance with me but don't expect me to be okay with it. Now I have a headache, I'm going to go to bed and I would appreciate it if you would just leave."

Sara pushed past him into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Grissom stood in her living room for a moment trying to sort out what had just happened. Finally he headed for the door. Making sure the door was locked behind him he walked over to his car. Climbing inside he muttered to himself, "I need a beer."

Jim Brass pulled into a small bar called 'The Saloon', Warrick had been raving about to the night shift. A familiar looking Yukon was parked in the lot.

"It can't be." Brass said to himself.

Walking through the doors, his suspicions were confirmed. The night shift supervisor was sitting at the end of the bar, tapping the edge of his glass for a refill.

"Jim! Sit down, have a drink." Grissom called seeing the detective walking towards him.

"Gil, what are you doing here?" Brass asked taking the seat next to Grissom and ordering a beer.

Grissom looked down at his fresh drink then back at the man beside him. "Drinking." he answered puzzled by such a simple question.

Brass smiled and let out a chuckle, "I can see that. Is there any reason why?"

Grissom's brow furrowed and he downed the contents of his shot glass in one gulp.

The smile left Jim's face as he watched his friend order another round. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Sara getting a DUI earlier would it, cause if it is, it sure it a strange way to show it."

Grissom slammed his hand down on the bar top, "She heard me Jim, she heard everything."

It was Brass's turn to be confused, "What did she hear?"

"Everything, she was outside the interrogation room at the end of the Debbie Marlin case." he answered playing with his glass.

"Oh." Brass sipped his beer. He didn't know what to say. "Gil, why don't we get you home."

Grissom threw some money on the bar and got up to leave. Once the two men were outside Grissom looked over at Brass, "Jim you had something to drink, maybe I should drive."

Brass just shook his head, "I had half a beer. Get in the passenger seat Gil."

On the way to Grissom's town house Brass had a hard time suppressing the urge to ask about Sara. He had heard the Gil had taken her home after the incident, but he decided it would be best not to take advantage of his friends' inebriate state. They made it to his townhouse without speaking. Brass stopped in front of Grissom's building.

"Thanks for the ride Jim." Grissom aid climbing out of the car.

"No problem. You know Gil, if you need to talk you can give me a call." said Brass.

"Yeah I know. Thanks again, I'll see you later."

Brass watched Grissom go into his house before pulling out. He shook his head, lost in thought as he drove towards his own house.

TBC

Author's Note: Well what do you think? Is it any good? Reviews are greatly appreciated and will help prompt me to finish it.


	2. Chapter Two

A New Beginning

A/N: I'm so sorry it took me so long to post this. I didn't think anyone would like it so I didn't plot beyond the first chapter. That and the fact that my muse got made at someone and ran away for at least two weeks. She can be very sensitive at times. Thanks for the great reviews and please stay patient I will update again eventually.

Enjoy!

Chapter Two

Catherine knocked on Sara's door. Brass had called her and asked her to check up on Sara before shift started. He didn't give a reason why, he just asked her to do it.

She was about to leave when she heard footsteps inside. Sara opened the door looking like she had just rolled out of bed. Catherine had to bite her tongue, she had an almost uncontrollable urge to tell Sara that she looked like shit.

"Catherine," Sara exclaimed, "what are you doing here?"

She had to smile slightly at Sara's question because she really didn't know why she was there. She knew the last thing Sara wanted was to be checked on, but that was exactly what she was doing.

"Just though I would come by and see how you were doing after this morning."

Sara snorted slightly, -_Well since Catherine knows, then I bet the entire lab knows- _She thought.

Catherine attempted again, "Do you want to go get some dinner or something before shift?"

"Catherine look, I don't want to talk about it okay." Sara said.

"Then we won't talk about it. Let's just go get some food then get to work and put this behind us."

Sara raised her brow, "Promise?"

Catherine smiled again, bigger this time. "Promise, now go get ready and I'll meet you by the car." Sara shut the door and went inside to get ready.

When Sara came out five minutes later, Catherine noticed that she no longer looked like death and that she was almost smiling.

"Where do you want to go?" Catherine asked.

"Why don't we go to that little diner a few blocks from the lab." Sara replied.

"Sounds good to me. I'll follow you."

Inside the diner the two girls enjoyed themselves. They had never really been friends but the steady stream of girl-talk allowed them to move in that direction.

Sara was beginning to relax when she saw a couple take a table across the room from them. The woman was laughing softly at something her partner had whispered in her ear. Sara could help but notice the difference in their ages; he had to be at least ten year the woman's senior.

She watched as they held hands across the table, smiling continually at each other. _-That should be us. Why wont Grissom let it happen?-_ Sara wondered. She felt her cheeks turn red as her temper rose.

Catherine caught the change in Sara and followed her gaze across the restaurant. Spotting the couple she bit her lip, _-This can't be a good thing. She's going to think of Gris now.-_ Looking back at Sara she saw that she was right. She let out a small sigh, "Uh-oh." she mumbled under her breath.

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Grissom felt his head pound in time with the banging on his door. Whoever was on the other side he wished would disappear. Opening it he came face to face with Nick Stokes and Warrick Brown.

"Hey Gris." Nick said cheerily.

"What are you two doing here?" Grissom grunted.

"We just thought we would stop by." Warrick answered, "So how you doing?"

"For being a poker player you sure can't lie." Grissom said, "Brass called you earlier didn't he?"

"Yes." The boys chorused.

"Well for your information I don't need to be baby-sat, I'm fine." said Grissom.

"Are you sure about that? No offense but you look like hell. How much did you drink anyway?" Warrick queried.

Grissom leaned against the door rubbing his forehead, "Enough to give me a monster of a hangover."

They pushed their way in to the townhouse and into the living room. Grissom followed them. "Come on guys I didn't invite you in and I would appreciate t if you would leave."

"Nick shook his head, "We're not leaving until you tell us what's going on with you and Sara."

Grissom sunk down into a chair, "There is nothing going on between us."

"Griss, have you ever thought that maybe that was the problem?" Warrick conjured.

"What!" came Grissom's response.

Nick sat foreword on his seat, "Listen, maybe if there was something going on between you it would make life easier. I mean you do like her don't you?"

"Of course I like her. She's a good person, a good CSI."

Nick groaned, "Would you stop being a supervisor for a second and be a single guy for a change? Everybody at the lab knows about you two and to tell you the truth it's starting to get a little annoying. Why don't you just Do what you've been wanting to do for a long time and ask her out already?"

"Nicky could we not do this I have a headache."

Nick smiled at his supervisor, "Well boss we have just the cure for you. Go get your stuff and one of us will drive your car."

Grissom, who didn't feel like arguing, went inside and grabbed his coat; his kit was in the Yukon still.

_-The whole lab knows. That's a little unnerving._- He thought walking out to the car.

I few minutes later they pulled into a small diner.

"Why are we here?" Grissom asked.

"Because this place serves the blackest coffee on this side of town." Warrick answered.

The two boys pushed Grissom through the front doors without noticing Catherine's suv in the packing lot. They took a bar seat at the counter and waited for a waitress to come take their orders.

Nick turned to Grissom to bring up their earlier conversation. Before he could though They heard a familiar voice coming from a booth somewhere on the diner. They had gotten there just in time to hear Sara's reaction to seeing lover's hiding in a corner booth.

"What an asshole!" They heard Sara say. She was trying to keep her voice down but wasn't succeeding. "Who does Grissom think he is anyway? He comes sweeping in like he's prince charming here to save the day. But does he even realize that he's the reason I pick up the bottles. That I drink so that I don't have to think about being alone. So I can forget all the pain he's caused me."

Catherine just sat listening to Sara's outburst, she didn't know how deeply Sara was hurt and now that it was all coming out she was afraid to try and stop it. She looked past Sara towards the front of the diner and spotted the boys just sitting there staring. Grissom had his back to her back to them but she could tell from his posture that he was hearing every word that was being said.

Catherine raised her hand slightly to try and stop Sara. "Um, Sara, you might want to uh,"

Sara continued with her ranting, "He calls me out here four years ago, spends the first year and a half that I'm here flirting his little heart out and then drops me as soon as I make a move."

Catherine tried again, "I really think you should um, turn around."

Once again she went unheard, "I mean the nerve, 'I don't know what to do about this.' That man must have balls of jelly if he can't even figure out what to do about being asked out."

Catherine rested her head in her hands not know if she should laugh or cry at the situation unfolding before her.

Sara finally looked at Catherine, "Cath, are you even listening to me?"

She shook her head at the younger woman, "Yes I am. And so is Nick and Warrick," She said pointing in the boys direction. She took a deep breath before finishing her sentence, "and Grissom."

Sara had at first whipped around to see Nick and Warrick's astonished faces but when she heard the last part stared horror struck at Catherine.

Catherine felt really sorry for Sara at that moment. "I tried to tell you." was all she could say.

Sara began a frantic scan of the diner looking for Grissom. She spotted his retreating as it headed into the men's bathroom. She got a quick glance of his face as he turned to make sure the door shut behind him.

Sara had never felt like she wanted to die as much as she did right then.

TBC


	3. Chapter Three

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Chapter Three

Sara stared at the men's room door, wondering what she had to do next.

"Oh God Catherine, what do I do?" she asked.

Catherine put her hands up in helplessness, "I really don't know. I wish I did but..." She trailed off.

Nick and Warrick still hadn't taken their eyes off Sara. They were just as lost on the situation as Catherine was.

Sara got up and walked halfway to the bathrooms. Turning back, she saw that the boys had already moved into the booth with Catherine. Their eyes never left her. She felt like the whole world had stopped and it was up to her to get it spinning again. _-That would almost be an easier task than what I have to figure out to do now- _she thought.

She stepped up to the door wondering if she should knock, enter, or wait for him to come out. She chose to knock.

"Um, Griss," She began, "could you come out here?"

Silence.

"Griss please, I never wanted you to hear that. I never wanted anyone to. I don't know what came over me, I've never lost control like that before." She was talking very softly so that no one else could hear her. She had already made a big enough fool out of herself.

When he didn't answer she turned and leaned against the door. Her weight against the door caused it to open slightly. Not knowing what else to do and needing to see Grissom she pushed the door the rest of the way and walked in side.

"She did not just go in there?" queried Nick, not believing what he was seeing.

"Yes she did. What is she thinking?" Catherine said shaking her head.

Warrick shrugged, "This ought to be interesting, Grissom's pretty hung-over."

Inside the restroom, Sara stood against the doorframe. Grissom was leaning over the sink watching the cold water swirl down the drain.

"Grissom I'm sorry." She didn't know why she was apologizing; everything she said was true. But looking at him now she wished she could have kept her mouth shut, as much as he had hurt her she didn't want to hurt him back.

Grissom had been asking himself why she would want to drink like she was. Now he knew the answer; because of him. "No Sara, don't. Don't apologize. I didn't know I was hurting you like that, at least I ignored the fact. I thought I was doing you good by staying away."

Sara stared at him in disbelief, "Doing me good! How could you think that? What in the past three years makes you think that anything but you could be good for me?"

Grissom look up at her. It was the second time that day that she was close to tears because of him. "Sara you deserve more of a life then what I can give you. I'm not young anymore and one day you'll see that and then I'll be alone again."

She moved away from the wall, not believing that he was opening himself up like he was. "Griss, I don't care how old you are. When will you get that through your thick head?"

" I just don't know what to do Sara."

"You've said that before. How can you not know what to do? There's not that many choice. I've already made mine but I'm getting tired."

He looked into her eyes and he could see it. She was ready to give up. –_She should, it would be best- _hethought –_But that's not what she wants. She wants you and you can give it to her right now-_ His heart was battling with his mind. He and Sara both wanted the same thing and neither one had it because he wouldn't let it happen.

Sara watched Grissom as he fought with himself. –_What are you thinking?- _ she wondered.

Grissom reached up and rubbed his temples. All this thinking wasn't helping his headache.

Still hunched over the sink he opened his mouth to say something when the bathroom door started to open. Sara ducked into the nearest stall and Grissom looked up quickly, perhaps too quickly, at the man who walked into the room.

Grissom was reminded of his hangover when he looked up. He ran for the other stall and lost the small amount of dinner he had tried to eat before Nick and Warrick showed up.

When the man left, Sara stood up on top of the toilet to peak in on Grissom, still hurling in his own commode. "You have the flu?"

He flushed the toilet, "No."

She walked out to the sink and soaked some paper towels in cold water. When he walked out she turned to hand him the wet cloths. Taking one look at his ashen face, she knew what it was, and why he was talking so freely.

"Alcohol poisoning? You gave yourself alcohol poisoning?"

He gave her a sheepish look.

"Good one. Is your car here? Well I guess I had better return the favor and drive you home." Sara said, taking control of the situation, and herself.

"Nick and Warrick can do it they're the ones who drug me out here in the first place."

Sara looked at her watch, "They don't have time. Shift is going to start in twenty minutes, it'll take almost that long just to get you home."

Sara reached for the door handle but thought better of opening it.

"What's the matter?" Grissom asked.

"Could you look and make sure that no one is coming?" She couldn't help but think of what would happen if she walked past a guy while coming out of the men's bathroom.

Grissom stepped in front of her and stuck out his head. "The coast is clear."

They calmly walked over to the booth ignoring the questioning looks on their colleagues' faces.

Catherine look Grissom over, "You're looking a little green there Gil, you sick?"

"Could you take over shift for me tonight Cath? I'm going home." Grissom said swaying on his feet.

Warrick grimaced as his boss, "You're not driving are you?"

Grissom shook his head and Sara answered for him, "No I'm going to drive him. I don't feel like going to work anyway."

"Anyone got a pen and paper?" Nick asked searching his pockets.

Catherine looked over at him, "No, why?"

He smiled, "This is a monumental moment. Didn't you here what Sara just said?"

"Haha very funny." Sara rolled her eyes.

Catherine glanced at her watch, "Well if you've got Griss then we had better get to work before the entire night shift is late. Bye you two."

When they were all in the parking lot, Catherine watched as Grissom and Sara climbed in the Yukon. _–After what just happened, those two in the same car can't be good. Let's just hope that they don't kill each other tonight- _she thought.

It only took a few minutes for Sara to maneuver the SUV through the traffic and arrive at Grissom's town house. The situation was oddly familiar as they sat in silence. _–Haven't we already done this once today?-_ they both wondered. Although this time the rolls were reversed.

Sara parked the car and handed the keys to Grissom.

"Would you come up?" He asked her.

She didn't look at him, "No I don't think I should." Sara pulled out her cell phone to call a cab to take her home.

"Please." The soft tone of his voice made her look into his eyes. "There's more to be said but not in the car."

Sara nodded and followed him to his door.

Once Grissom had gotten himself some cold water and an Advil, he sat down opposite of Sara. Taking a deep breath he began.

"I…I've missed you Sara." He stuttered through the words. Sara looked at him questioningly, confuse on where he was going with this.

-Damn this is hard- he tried again.

"I've missed talking with you and being friends like we used to be."

Sara stared down at her feet, "I've missed it too."

Grissom moved to sit next to her on the couch. "I want to be friends again." He shook his head, "I want to be more then that but I don't know how."

"It's not that hard if that's what you really want." She told him.

"I do but I need you to help me. Can you do that? I mean I know I don't deserve another chance but will you give me one anyway. I'll try my damnedest not to screw it up this time."

She reached over and took his hand, staring into his pleading blue eyes, "One more. One more and you better not mess up." She answered. Squeezing his hand she added, "Well I guess here's to a new beginning." She smiled slightly and he closed his hands around hers. "A new beginning." he echoed, smiling back.

FINISH

A/N: Okay so I know I said there would be more but I went totally brain dead. I can't think of a single thing to do with this story without making it horrible. So this is the end it is completed, finito. The New Beginning has ended. Thank you for reading! PS. PLEASE DON'T FLAME ME! I wanted to add more but my muse wants to move on. She can be an evil muse sometimes but don't flame he either. Last time she was berated I didn't see her for over a month. (I really mean that too. I couldn't write a single thing worth reading) TTFN


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